June 2021

SPECIAL FOCUS Production Engineering become smoother and more efficient. By adding more to the robot over time – such as when picking technology is perfected – as and when the technology becomes more affordable and practical, businesses can give their robot more capability during its life – scaling it to grow with the size and needs of the business. No need to rip and replace By having already made the initial robot investment and making incremental changes as the technology matures will help businesses to reduce their costs overtime. Rivers comments that we can only expect the price of robots to increase as the technology becomes more advanced, but he adds that by putting the foundations in place at an earlier stage and scaling the technology gradually, the business case from a financial perspective is far more viable, as opposed to one significant investment later down the line. Additionally, Rivers highlights, if organisations wait for the robot to offer the complete lights- out, pick and pack solution, they will have wasted valuable time in getting the foundations right, and therefore need to rip and replace their entire infrastructure. Those who delay will only have to change more of their processes and teach their employees how to work alongside the robot collaboratively. Instead, organisations that invest in automation at an earlier stage can maximise the opportunity for better results sooner, through a more gradual implementation of technology and automation. The role of humans Rivers also comments there have always been concerns around the role of the human when automation is deployed, even at an early stage. And it’s no surprise that once the robot reaches adulthood, worries around job security and the employee’s role in the warehouse may increase. But he says this shouldn’t be an issue, as the opportunities will still be available for humans, and are more productive and fulfilling than before. Traditionally, humans are stuck doing menial and repetitive tasks in the warehouse, such as picking, packing and checking inventory, of which they are prone to making mistakes out of boredom. With automation, explains Rivers, humans can take on more responsibility and re- deploy their roles and skills elsewhere in the business, such as the chance to re-train highly skilled forklift drivers to, for example, supervise loading or oversee robot picking teams. As the robot advances, they may get easier to maintain over time, but humans will still be required to carry out the installation, maintenance and oversee the technology. What if the robot needs new batteries? Or to carry out repairs on a part predicted to soon malfunction by predictive maintenance solutions. Rivers says we may see a new demand in robot preservation and technicians, and then in the future, even the recycling of material to reproduce more and newer robots – making automation more sustainable. Conclusion Full automation isn’t easy or necessarily required, and businesses must consider the pros and cons of automation before investing. But by initially deploying partial automation, setting the groundwork for further automation to be added as and when the technology is ready, businesses can take advantage of increased productivity, improved safety and reduced factory lead-time with the help of robots. With the opportunity to consistently add to and scale your robot, your automation investment will never become obsolete. @jasicuk Find Us On Find out more at jasic.co.uk Exclusive UK Importer 0161 793 8127 Such is our confidence in this technology we offer an unparalleled 5 year full warranty on all models